Herodan Cuisine
"... and the people cried out for bread, a lousy, hard crust of bread, but the evil king wouldn't open the gates of his storehouse. The people prayed and begged the Gods to at least shorten their pain - and from the heavens came a mighty storm, like a kiss from the Gods, which brought life to the once barren lands and there all things under the sun grew plenty and wonderful." - Androlos Grafeas, Historian, approcimately 2,200 years before our time, talking about the Great Famine 2,750 years before our time. Herodas is very proud to have a rich and healthy cuisine, made of things, which our farmers grow on their fields. Every state has it's own way to cook, all boiled down are the Herodas Cuisine. You will not find anything like this anywhere in the world! Lokris In Lokris, where the cows and sheep are standing on their grasslands, you will have plenty of meat and plenty of things made with milk. Especially good is the wine made of Cowmilk, vinified for ten years in oaken barrels, deep down in the womb of Mother Earth. There, in the moist and cold cellars, the air is impregnated with the sharp smell of alcohol, which makes good men drunk by only smelling it. Every year, the farmsteads specialized for this product hold a great festival. They choose among their daughters a young woman to be their Elected Queen for the season, mostly a beautiful woman, which ascends to the highest echelons of society, at least in Lokris. But you will also find crops being grown, especially in the valleys around the Istros, where it comes down from the mountains in Mycenae. Both parts, the cropgrowing part and the cattling part of Lokris, are in a very deep conflict between themselves, every year the tensions near the state of war, the Army is mobilized to interfere if things get out of hands, but then the parties meet - the Elected Queen of Cows and Sheeps and the Elected King of Weat and Maize, meet in the village Aspendos, which is build on the 'border' between both parts. Long negotiations are held, and in the end, the most important part of the Harvest Celebrations begin: The big party, where the dance in the evening is opened by the Elected King and the Elected Queen. It is often said, that Lokris is the place, which the Gods kissed with their grace, so that the most beautiful land is the most fertible land in all of Herodas... Lakediamon Home of the most fearsome warriors of the Old Times, and the greatest soldiers of today, Lakediamon isn't typically associated with agriculture or cooking, but it is there. Their speciality is from exactly that time, a stew made in exactly one pot on the base of clear water, hunted meat, wild herbs and made on an open fire. Today, as meat isn't hunted in the forests anymore and herbs aren't collected at the same place, the tradition of the One-Pot-Stew is still held very dear, especially among the old Warrior-Clans in Northern Lakediamon. While they still cook with hunted and collected good over an open fire, the others began to use stove and supermarket. It is not even a dish for a celebration, but for every day. The forests up there are lush and thick, full of live, full of wonder and of knowledge. Nearly every region maked a different stew, but it is a rule, that, the farer to the North you come, the hotter the stew gets! Tintinoi The cuisine from Tintinoi, one of the three provinces bordering the sea, is highly influenced by that. Fish is a common food, as well as sea food. It gets often combined with food from the former colonies of Herodas. Fish in date oil, roasted above a birchwood fire is said to be very yummy and very healthy, while almonds grown in Ruspina are made to very serious weapons against the female bikini figure. Other then that, the people of Tintinoi, cultivated the art of making durable, filling food, originally for their sailors. The double backed sliced bread, also known as "bis coctus panis" or simply Bicopa, is one of such foods, which is very popular among the shipcrews of Herodas, be it civilians or military. Especially with butter and cheese or ham from Lokris, it's a delicacy for the people - screw fisheggs! Another case of such food is smoked meat, especially from the cow. It makes a delicious ham or a very filling piece of meat on a long trek. Just like it's cousin, cured pork, it is also very popular outside of Tintinoi and it's harbours. The rest of the crops, which aren't made to Bicopa, are the foundation of the Water of Life, international better known as Whisky. It is a strong brew, which only the hardest and best men and women can stand, which warms cold limbs and heats up even the shyest little ponys in human form! It's known for being the last argument during negotioations and for being there since thousands of years all over Herodas. Even the warriors of Lakediamon loved it, so much that they came for it and were defeated in an epic battle of drinking against the littlest and smallest seaman, Tintinoi could find. Since that day, Lakediamon and the people from the coast are friends. Mycenae The reason for the mighty warrior's loss came from Mycenae, or better said from it's olives. Their juice has the power to delay the effects of alcohol immensely. Grown in the southern parts of the province near the borders to Tintinoi, it is often used as a ingredient supporting other things like fish, but it can also be used for the baking of apples - it may sound weird, but it surely is a treat to behold! Also grown in Southern Mycenae is the wine, which grapes are wonderful for making the Oinos the alternative to the whisky. Exported all over the world, the Oinos is seen as a beautiful drink for all people, but especially the rich ones. The finest juices and ciders come from Mycenae's Northern parts, where apples, plums and pears are grown in lush plantations by people being proud of harvesting each and everyone of them one by one. Clean rivers and warm summers give the country a scenery to behold, with the cold and harsh mountains of Illion far away in the mist. Like with Lokris, it is often said, that the Gods kissed the land and made the people hard working, happy men and women. Illion Not many animals survive the harsh climate of Illion's mountains, and even fewer plants do it. But those which do, are made to filling and strong food by the miners, who take the minerals and ores from the shafts and bring them to the light of day. Everything they eat is a mixture of the cuisines of other provinces, divided by the nature, which surrounds them - loved it the stew made of the mountain goats and some herbs, as well as the Bicopa and the meat from Tintinoi, where the most people in Illion have their origin. Trikolj The little province of Trikolj is mostly known for their potatoes and the soup made of them. As a rare treat for the Province with the poorest people in all of Herodas there is sometimes bacon in it, as well as sausages. Other then that, the food there is very simple, very filling and yummy. As one of the of the provinces bordering the sea, but only a small part, bare of much life, fish and other seafood is rare. Which isn't rare is work in the factories of FOAMC, the Federal Owned Arms Manufacturing Companies, especially the Federal Artillery Forgery and the Federal Ammunition Works, which pay good money to the people living in the cities on the coast, far away from the potatoe plantations on the other side of the mighty Acheron, which divides the country in a poor part and a relatively rich part. Aitolia Aitolia and it's cuisine are dominated by fast made food, but not fast food in the classical sense. It is easy, cheap and cooked in a short time, but relatively healthy. While Aitolia and Krekopia itself are dominated by these foods, it is necessary, because the fast live of the grand cities takes place here - offices, factories, studios, all is there, all need food, fast and cheap, healthyness is an option. This is why, like in Illion but faster and stronger, the cuisines of all provinces were boiled down and spat out here. You want to taste Herodas? Then go to the public canteen of the Bouleuomai. Cuisine